Conference misery::feline_v1

    Mary,
    
    Ken and I are getting a dog in just a few weeks.  Ken has Asthma,
    and we have about 19 cats.  We both know that having the dog will
    create some new situations in our lives, but we are going for it.
    
    I will relate to you how it goes once it happens.  The puppy will
    arrive on the 19th of October.
    
    Jo

    
    1.	I've never owned a dog before and know they need more attention
    	than cats.  How much more difficult (health-, vet-wise) are dogs
    	vs cats?
    
	I feel that BOTH dogs and cats need daily attention, which can
	be delivered as part of a daily grooming/cuddling/talking
	session...dogs DO need concentrated obedience work, where cats
	generally have us trained rather quickly and feel no need for
	regular obedience drills to keep us in line....8^}
	Both dogs and cats should, whenever possible have a daily
	play session, fetching or tug-of-war for dogs, chasing a
	toy or some other activity for cats.  These sessions will
	keep the animals mentally alert and make them much more fun
	to have around.  When working around the house, talk to your
	pets to let them know you are aware of them.  I feel that dogs
	simply make their needs more known because they are generally
	larger and noisier than cats (siamese excepted...8^})

	Both dogs and cats should, at minimum, see the vet once a year
	for a "poke and prod" once-over and their boosters to their
	vaccines.  Puppies and kittens should see a vet more often -
	most kittens, however, are not taken in as often as most puppies.
	I always recommend an initial visit for the new pet, and then
	work out a schedule for shots, neutering, etc.  I don't feel my
	dog costs any more than my cat, being short haired and not needing
	grooming, but a grooming can run up to $40.00 so pick a short
	haired dog for sure if you are concerned about cost.  Also, plan
	on bathing your dog yourself or paying approx. $20.00/month
	to have it done (short haired only).

    2.	There's a dog available at the Nashua Animal Shelter that is not
    	only good with kids, but with cats :) and is housebroken.  
    	Is it hard introducing cats to a new family member that's a dog?

	Cats generally find it easy to inform the dog who's in charge
	as long as you make sure the dog knows "NO CHASING!" when the
	cats run.  The dog probably wouldn't hurt the cat if the cat
	stopped running...however, the cat is likely to remove the dogs
	face when it runs up to the the cat when the cat stops running...
	no fun for the dog.  Most dogs will, with a few days consistent
	training, learn that the cats in the house are to be ignored.    
	Some dogs even learn to play with the cats....my old dobe used
	to drag around the "rope" for the cats to chase...quite a scene,
	a large black dog running around with 4 cats in hot pursuit of
	the trailing rope...a thick line of cord, actually, but fun for all.

>    We probably won't get a dog now, but we definitely keep thinking about
>    it.  The back yard would be perfect - the dog would have plenty of room
>    to run around in and could stay outside most of the time without
>    getting loose.  I'm sure the cats would adjust, but I don't want them
>    running off thinking we don't love them anymore.
    
Mary,

The one thing a dog needs more than anything else is to feel part of the "pack"
or "herd".  It is a common mistake to think that leaving a dog isolated in a
"perfect" back yard is okay.  It isn't.  Any dog needs to be WITH the owners,
at their feet, in a bed or crate at night, but in the home WITH the rest of his
pack, which is your family.  His perfect back yard will be a nice place, with
the addition of a dog house, for the dog to be when you are not home, but when
you are home, the dog needs to be with you in your home.  If you cannot make
that adjustment to your lifestyle, you really should not consider adopting a
dog.  If isolated away from the only pack he/she can have, the dog will develop
real behavior problems like barking all the time or being vicious.  They have a
much stronger need to be around people than many cats - this is the primary
difference in the breeds...dogs are underfoot alot where cats are more
independent.  It is no crime to not have the time or patience to deal with a
pet dog and focus on your pet cats instead....some of my best friends are
"cat people".....

		D-the-cat-and-dog-person  (maybe gerbils and birds too!)

    I haven't had a dog in a long time, but another thing to remeber
    is that dogs need lots of exercise, i.e. regular daily walks. The
    larger the dog the more walks they need. Of course, this is a plus
    as long as you have the time - you will get lots of exercise too!
    
    Shayne (and two cats who exercise themselves and don't approve of
    dogs!) New Zealand

    Thanks for the replies.  
    Re .1:  Jo - I printed out your note and brought it to my husband so he
    could see other people with asthma/allergies have many more pets than
    us.  It didn't work.
    
    Re .2:  I know animals need and want lots of attention.  This would not
    be a problem.  The dog (if we got one) would be in the yard when we're
    at work or out visiting.  I'm not one to leave an animal out in
    horrible weather or when it's freezing outside.  The back yard has
    access to our garage through a door - I might end up leaving the door
    open so the dog would have shelter.  I work only 4 miles from home, so
    visiting at lunch (sometimes) would not be a problem.  As for vet care,
    my cats presently cost me $150 (for 3) at their yearly "poke and prod"
    examination, plus lots of expenses every time there's a problem and I
    panic...  I want my vet to go public with a stock plan so I could
    invest and get rich!!  Never having owned a dog, I know they need
    yearly treatment for heartworm, plus all the normal shots, and the once
    in a lifetime treat of being fixed.  The heartworm treatment is what
    gets me; however, I'm so used to giving medicine to my cats that a dog
    couldn't be any worse (actually, I have an easy time with the cat's
    medicine... I sit on the floor, put the cat between my legs, pop the
    pill down their throat, and kiss their nose.  The pills go right
    down!).
    
    Backing up a bit... the $150/year for the cats exam includes a years
    supply of tapeworm medicine, FUS medicine, and conjunctivitis medicine.
    My vet is 35 miles away - why make the trip if I don't have to when a
    phone call is all I need most of the time.  If the phone call doesn't
    work, then the cat goes in.
    
    Anyway, thanks.  My husband said no to the dog, but I keep working on
    him.  I know one of these days he'll break down and say yes.
    
    Jo - keep us posted after you get your puppy.  I'm sure the stories
    will be great!
    
    Mary
    

    For a while I wanted a dog too. I still do a little.  But i'm
    not going to get one while I'm commuting 50 miles one way to work.
    Its not fair to ask a dog to "hold it" for 12 hrs.  And I don't
    believe in leaving a dog out in the backyard unattended for hours
    either.  Besides, they can't be watchdogs out in the back yard.
      Mostly tho, Jack doesn't want a dog.  Dogs are different than
    cats - and our cats spend ALOT of time in contact with us (underfoot!)
    - and Jack just prefers cats to dogs.
     

    
    I too, have allergies and have a worse time with dogs than cats.
    Cindy and I have five cats and a dog, Nikki.  Nikki is a Standard
    Poodle and does not shed, so I don't react as much to her.  Perhaps
    this is the answer to your husband's problem, as Poodles get bathed
    often and the dander doesn't build up.  I know that the dander is
    the real culprit in allergies.
    
    If he complains that "a Poodle isn't a real dog" (like Cindy did),
    then tell him that he has the wrong idea.  The only "problem" we
    have is that Nikki thinks that she's a cat, having been raised with
    them for the past year.  We had little problem introducing her to
    the girls, they hissed, they batted at her, they let her know who's
    boss--and it's not her!
    
    Well, must get back.  Good luck!
    
    Debbi and the gang.
    

    re:6
    
    Boy, another person more allergic to dogs than cats!!  I thought
    I was the only strange one - after having the scratch tests, I
    sat watching the bumps appear on my arms and held my breath for
    the 'cat' area to pop, but it didn't!  Then I noticed the 'dog'
    area went wild - really weird - I had a dog for the 20 years I
    lived at home - guess it didn't help.  oh well.... thank God
    I'm safe with cats - the longhairs sometimes bother me a little
    though.
    
    E.T.

    I'm also more allergic to dogs that cats - at least according
    to the scratch tests.
    
    How about a poodle-mix?  That way you could give an unwanted dog
    a home but get the advantages that the poodle breed would give
    you where allergies are concerned.
      Nancy DC
    

    Re .6	My husband grew up with a poodle (Poo) and had no problems,
    but that was in San Diego and I don't have allergies there (much)
    either.  Personally, I don't care for poodles.
    
    I think my question was answered this past Friday when I stayed home
    from work and my supervisor dropped her dog off in our yard for the day
    (she was going to Maine after work... no sense going back to New
    Ipswich NH to get the dog and then to Maine).  Anyway, it was a pretty
    comical site.  Yoda (the dog) would be at the back slider wanting to
    come in and on the inside would be Gonezo (usually a real wimp)
    attacking the dog through the glass.  Barney also tried attacking the
    dog and Ben felt very insecure all day.  I'd let the cats out the front
    door and they wanted back in almost immediately.  They really wanted to
    get in the back yard to beat up on the BEAST that invaded their space!
    
    Mary